Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-08-20

q Few Questions FOR Prohibitionists to
Answer.
To lhe cMRoNIcLEi

CARDS the position OF the CHsosIcLR on the
brohibttion question II fair, and conserva-
tive, and. for one will say nothing In con-
defamation OF A..
In the candid avowal OF your private sem
timents can see nothing wrong, and, though
fbley do not agree with mine, can fully re-
spect them, knowing as do that they are
the true sentiments OF an honest man truth
fully expressed.
Honest convictions are the right by heritage
OF all freemen, and whether privately re-
ieined, or publicly expressed, should be duly
Inspected.
have my own as regards the question OF
prohibition. and others, and will not allow
Fyself disrated 10, by neither church, nor
state. Those who do. are slaves, and deserve
not the name OF freemen.
When You say that prohibition In merely
b a temporary issue" fully agree with you,
''and trust that your words will prove true
think the 10Th day OF September will
ckpse the business of prohibition In Ten
nessee, and with 1t, "rhe Issue" and "The
Flag" as the good Temperance people of the
state, In my opinion, can well dispense with
all three, and the leaders that control them,
without serious loss.
Your invitation for ga full and respectful
discussion OF the question at ISSUE" IN the
columns OF the CHRONICLE is as fair as
Ac?uld be desired, and in response to 1t Will
We're intrude TO slight extent upon the
patience OF your readers.
Now Mr.. Editor, though you may be the
Oldest looking. the Oldest feeling, and the
Oldest man generally oil through, yet, ii
! mistake not, from what have heard you
hiy, we were born within q few years OF
each other, about so years ago, more, or less.
Now propose that we cast our minds eye
back to the time when we were boys, say
40 or As years ago, and take a retrospective
view of the changes that have taken place as
regards general progress through out our
Yeat nation, and especially within our own
State Of Tennessee.
WcEill take first glance at our grand
National Union, and see what strides have
been made In almost every thing in the way
Of credltahe progress.
xIn civis4ation, population, sobriety, educa-
tional facilities, Christianity, agriculture
: machinery, internal improvements of all
kinds, and in every other way, our great
nation has advanced steadily, upward and
onward with rapid strides, and 1t is still
advancing.
Where the Savage Indian, and the wild
buffalo roamed, AID held undisputed sway
less than so years ago, amid the dark forests
and extended plains of the great, and then
Wild West, luxurient fields of waving grain
fiourishing hamlets, and great cities with
their tall smoke stacks of manufacturing en-.
ferprises, their massive school buildings, and
beautiful churches with glittering spires
reaching FIR Heavenward, may be seen on
every hand. Less than so years ago, the
great city of Chicago with its immense rail
road traffic, and its 100000 inhabitants. was
hut an Insignificant village, whilst Kansas
City with its 10000 people, aud many Other
p)pulous cities. and towns on the country
were unknown, or unthought Of
In the great state of Texas where 1t seems
the "Whisky Heads" have full sway, there
DE hundreds of towns and CT. les ranging
in population OF from 1000 to 1900 people
that were not even thought of 40 years ago
Within all of these may be seen magnificent
public buildings, including school houses ant
beautiful church edifcies, with large, and
INCREASING memberships.
Here in Tennessee our own town o
GAINESVILLE, though one Of the Oldest town,
in, the state, has grown from a village o
ABOUT 1900 people, and now claims 5000
with one of the finest court houses In the
state, splendid churches, college and school
buildings, tobacco houses &c.
Nashville has grown from about 10000 tc
5000 people with immense capital, and grea
manufacturing enterprises; and thought it IL
the head quarters of the "Whisky Ring" 1t Is
known to be great religious centre, and as t.
n ic rpUardad 4S tbf
Athens of the SOUTH
~ Chattanooga has grown from a country
steamboat landing to a claim of $1,000, with
many great iron manufacturing enterprises
Memphis, 40 years ago had 5000, and nov
claims 10000 inhabitants.
might proceed, and name Knoxville
n Jackson, and many other towns of the state
that have rapidly increased in wealth, ant
population within the last 20 or 80 years
i might also go on to show the great I'm
proyement in the agricultural, and stoci
interest, also the increase in church build
ings, and church memberships, educationa
facilities &c. &cA But have stated enough
to show the wonderful progress our state h.
made during the past 40 years, notwithstand
ing her great lesses By the civil war wher
thousands of her noblest sons were slain
and many millions of dollsls worth of prop
erty destroyed.
Now Mr.. Editor, all of this grand ant
enormous increase of wealth, population
educational facilities, Christian influence
aud general prosperity has been gained TO
Pour National Union, and within our owl
state under what is termed "the liquo
regime" That is to say: Distileries, brew
ers, wine presses, saloons and the liquo
business generally, have been running a
full blast through out the state of Tennessee
and through out the Union generally, wher
prosperity has been the greatest.
Remember also that during the time that
have named educational, and Christian in
fiuences, including church membership
have increased through out the Union ant
within our own state nerly thousand fold.
Even the Methodist church within Tia
state OF Tennessee, and the south, ha
grown from poverty to wealth under thi
same "Whlsky Rule" And these are fact
that can not be denied by preachers of pre-
hibition, or others.
Now If the liquor traffic is such terribl
curse, and has had such control over bot